Apparatus for sealing evacuated vessels.



e. F. GRAY.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING EVACUATED VESSELS. APPLICATION HLED 050.3. 1913.

1,237,200. Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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APPARATUS FOR SEALING EVACUATED VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-3.19m.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

Inventor: Geor' Witnesses:

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75M 7%; f Z 65% Schenectady, county of Schenectady,

OFFICE.

GEORGE F. GRAY, OF SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR SEALING EVAGUATED VESSELS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residin tat ate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in A paratus for Sealing Evacuated Vessels, oi which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the production of a seal for exhausted vessels, more particularly to metallic vessels which may be sealed by soldering the opening through which the air or other gas has been exhausted.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for sealingvessels after the air or other gas has been entirely or partially exhausted.

A further object of my invention is toprovide a sealing machine which will allow a vessel to be exhausted of its contained gas and will fill the exhaustion opening with molten material while the proper vacuum is maintained.

Many vessels of varied shapes and sizes must have the air or other gases exhausted before they will perform the functions for which they are designed. If the vessel is wholly or partially constructed of glass and the exhaustion opening is through glass, the process of sealing ofif 1s avery simple matter. However, if the sealing 0E must take place in metal or any substance which requires the introduction of molten material to close the exhaustion opening, the process becomes more complicated, and the formation of a erfect seal is attended with numerous di culties.

My invention provides a machine which will successfully form'such a seal and also provides a machine which does not require a hi h degree of skill for its operation. As set ortli and described in the specification which follows, it is shown as especially adapted for sealing tubes which are used in manufacturing protective devices known as vacuum tube lightning arresters. Its applicability is, however, not limited to use in this connection, but machines made in accordance with my invention may be designed for use in sealing vessels of any shape or size. In order to adapt it for use in connection with vessels of difierent shapes, it is only necessary to vary the form of the mechanism for holding the vessels Patented Aug. 14, 1917.-

Application filed December a, 1913. Serial No. 804,881.

position while the seal is being wart and through the tube casing a small hole is drilled. The tube is then placed in operative relation with the sealing machine and exhausted. When the tube has been exhausted to the proper degree, mechanism for melting the solder is set into action and the exhaustion opening is closed by "the molten solder.

To melt the sealing material, many difierent means may be used. In one form of the machine, I have shown an electric soldering iron. In another form the sealing-material is melted by .passing an electric current through it, while in a third form the heat of a Bunsen burner is used to accomplish the desired result.

My invention will best-be understood in connection with the accompanying "drawings, which show some of the various forms in which my invention may be carried-out and in whichFigure 1 represent a section of one form of the machine for exhausting a single tube in which an electrically heated soldering iron is used and the exhaustion opening is on the side of the tube; Fig. 2 shows a modification of Fig. 1 adapted to seal tubes having the exhaustion opening on the end; Fig. 3 shows another form in which the seal is made by passing an electric current through the sealing material; Fi 4 is a side view with the casing partly bro en away of a machine for exhausting a pinrality of tubes at the same time; Fig. 5 is an end view partly in section of the machine shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows still another modification in which the seal is made by means of a Bunsen burner; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of an arrester tube.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the frame of the machine 1 is provided with a vacuum chamber 2 which-has'a removable cover 3. firmly held in operative relation with the openmg 5 in the bottom of the vacuum chamber by means of the lever 6 and the toggle joint levers 7 and 8 which are fastened tothe frame of the machine. To make an air-tight connection between the tube and the machine, a gasket 9 is used. In order thatthe operator may watch the formation of the seal, a window 10 is mounted in a peep-hole 11 cut in the wall of the vacuum chamber. The lamp 12 with its reflector 13 supported by the bracket 14 provides light inthe vacuum chamber for observation of the operation of the machine. The vacuum chamber may be connected to a pump by means of the tube 15. The soldering iron 16 having an insulated stem 17 and a heating coil 18 is supported by the cover of the machine. It is normally held in its retracted position by means of the spring 19. When the electromagnet or solenoid 20 is enerzed, however, the soldering iron is brought into operative relation with the solder wart 21 on the vacuum tube, and the sealin operation is performed. The tension 0 the spring 19 may be regulated by means of the block 22 which is screw-threaded to the upper end of the stem 17. This block is normally prevented from rotating by means of the set screw23 which engages the slot 24 formed 'in one side of the block. Current is supplied to the heating coil by means of the wires 25 which are flexible to allow for the free movement of the soldering iron. 'One 27 This nut is tightened by means of the wrench 28. When it is desired to withdraw the tube, the clamp 29 is pressed upward engaging a bead 30 which is formed on the tube. In this figure I have also illustrated the construction of the solder wart 21 with a hole 31 drilled through both the solder and the wall of the tube to form an exhaustion opening. This modification may easily bemade in such a way that the clamping means shown may be removed and the clamping means shown in Fig. 1 may be substituted.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the soldering iron is replaced by the conducting rod 32 which is brought into contact with the soldering wart 21 by the action of the electromagnet 20. The block 33 which holds the arrester tube is made of electrically conductivematerial, and is well insulated from the lever 7. When rod 32 touches the solder wart the electrical circuit is completed and the solder is melted in welding machine fashion. This form may equally well be adapted to seal tubes havmg the opening in the end.

In the form of the machine shown in Fig. 4, the revolving plate 34, which carries a .neeaaoo large number of tubes, is moved. by the electromagnet 35, which is under the control of the operator. The core 36 of the electromagnet carries a pivoted finger 37, which finger engages the teethof the cog-wheel 38 as the electromagnet is excited. When the current is switched from the magnet, the

is energized the plate 34 is revolved far' enoughto bring another tube directly under the soldering means. a

Fig. 5 shows in greater detail the position I of the wheel 38 and the magnet 35. The 1 door 40 of the casing 41 in which the plate is mounted is closed on a gasket 42.to form an air-tight seal for the casing. The" door may be opened and the plate 34 drawn out so that the sealed tubes may be easily'rea moved .and unsealed tubes inserted in the holding clips 43. I have indicated an elec-' tric soldering iron as the sealing means used in connection with this form of machine. It

will be understood, however, that any other sealing means may be employed without departing from the scope o my invention.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, a frame 44 holds the tube 4, which tube has a small round copper piece 45 mounted upon it. The flat surface of the copper has the solder wart 21 on it; surrounding this wart and forced into the copper plate is the end of the sharp-edged tube 46, thereby forming an air-tight connection between the arrester tube and the vacuum pump which is connected to the tube 46: Afterthe tube 4 has.

been exhausted, heat is applied to the lower end of the sharp-edged tube by meansof the Bunsenburner 47 and the solder,'having a lower melting point than any of the surrounding metals, flows and seals tube 4.

The operation of the machine as shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: Tube 4. is set in its holder and is then forced up against the rubber gasket by the toggle joint. Connection is made to the vacuum pump, and the chamber and arrester tube are exhausted. While the vacuum is being formed, the soldering iron 16 is being heated and is ready to melt the solder as soon as. the required vacuum is obtained. The circuit is then closed on the solenoid 20 and the soldering iron is forced down on to the solder and the arrester tube is sealed. The-temperature of the soldering iron may be regulated by introducing an external resistance in the .circuit. Inthe same manner the pressure therefor comprising a solenoid outside of said chamber and means operated by said solenoid located entirely within said cham- -ber'for operating said sealing means to seal said tube while it is still in operative. rela-Q tion'to the vacuum chamber.

2. A sealing machine for sealing exhausted vessels comprising a vacuum chamber, a hollow projection extending vertically from the top of said vacuum chamber and forming a part of said chamber, movable sealing means located entirely within said vacuum chamber and having a portion which extends into said hollow projection and is entirely inclosed thereby, means for holding a; vessel having an exhaustion opening in operative relation to said vacuum chamber while the air is being exhausted therefrom, and a solenoid for bringing the sealing means into operative relation with the vessel to close the exhaustion opening after the air has been exhausted.

3. A sealing machine for sealing exhausted bringing the sealing means into operative relation with the vessel to close the exhaustion opening after the air has been exhausted.

4. sealing machine for sealing exhausted vessels comprising a vacuum chamber, a hollow projection extending from the wall of said chamber and forming a part of said chamber, movable sealing means located entirely within said chamber and having a portion which extends into said hollow proection and is entirely inclosed thereby,

means-for holding a vessel having an exhaustion opening in operative relation to said vacuum chamber while the air is being exhausted therefrom, means for normally holding the sealing means'away from said vessel, and means comprising a solenoid surrounding said hollow projection for bringing the sealing means into operative relation with the vessel to close the exhaustion opening after the air has been exhausted.

a 5. A sealing machine for sealing exhausted vessels comprising a vacuum chamber, a hollow projection extending from, the wall of said chamberv and forming a part of said chamber, a soldering iron within said chamber having a stem extending into said projection and entirely inclosed thereby, a solenoid surrounding said projection and adapted-to move the soldering iron when energized, and a spring within said projection for returning the iron to its normal position when the solenoid is deenergized.

v 6. A sealing machine for sealing exhausted vessels comprising a vacuum chamber, a hollow projection extending outwardly from the wall of said chamber and forming a part of said chamber, a soldering iron within said chamber having a stem extending into said projection and entirely inclosed thereby, means for;holding a vesselhaving an exhaustion opening in operative relation to said vacuum chamber and with the exhaustion opening a short distance from said soldering iron, a solenoid surrounding said projection and adapted to move the solder:

ing iron into operative relation to said exhaustion opening when energized, and a spring within said projection for returning the iron to its normal position when the solenoid is denergized.

In witness whereof, I I my hand this 2nd (134%: of December, 1913. G ORGE F. GRAY. Witnesses: BENJAMIN B. HULL,

HELEN 0m n).

have hereunto set 

